Ornamental trim for door panels



March 26, 1968 c. J. DARGENE 3,375,031

ORNAMENTAL TRIM FOR DOOR PANELS Filed Aug. 26, 1965 United States Patent 3,375,031 I ORNAMENTAL TRIM FOR DOOR PANELS Carl J. Dar-gene, Rockford, Ill., assignor, by mesne'assignments, to Amerock Corporation, Rockford, 11]., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Aug. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 482,694 1 Claim. (Cl. 287-189.36)

This invention pertains to ornamental trim to be applied to panels such as cabinet doors and the like.

The general object of this invention is to provide a means for interlocking the individual strips of ornamental trim for door panels and the like, which alines and holds together the butted ends forming the trim assembly corners after they are attached to the panel.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a means for interlocking the ends of ornamental trim strips with which the individual strips can be cut to any size desired and still be interlocked together easily to form the final ornamental assembly, with the interlocking means being hidden from view after the strips are attached to the panels.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of doors having attached to the outside panel ornamental trim of the type employing the subject invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the trim along the line 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one end of an ornamental strip,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary reduced-size view of the trim strip end opposite to that of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows four identical trim strips in position to be joined together to form an ornamental trim assembly,

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the back of the trim strip end shown in FIG. I

As shown in FIG. 1, ornamental trim assemblies 10 are frequently attached to such flat panels as the front surface 11 of kitchen cabinet doors 12 for appearance purposes. Such trim assemblies may be formed of individual elongated side members 13 and arcuate shaped corner members 14 placed end-to-end. Such trim strips are usually wood or plastic and are attached by an adbesive or nails with the generally flat surface 15 against the door panel. The ends 16 and 17 of the strips are beveled at complementary angles, usually 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis 13a of the strip, and are of the same width. To attach the strips, one end 16 is abutted against an adjoining strip end 17 thus forming a corner joint of a generally rectangular shaped trim assembly as shown in FIG. 1.

In accordance with the present invention, the individual trim strips are made with interlocking tabs and channels on the respective opposite ends so the strips can be locked together to form a strong and neat appearing corner joint. The channels are extended along the side member for a substantial distance so that the side member can be cut to a desired length without destroying the interlock since a portion of the channel remains to interfit with the tab of the adjoining strip. Once the strips are joined and attached to the door panel, the interlocking tabs and channels are hidden from view'a'nd the joint appears to be a normal one made of membersbutted together in a neat manner.

-In the example shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 7, each individual trim strip 18 includes one arcuate corner section 14 formed integrally with an elongated side trim strip 13, with the end 16 of each arcuate section 14 and the end 17 of each straight section 13 being beveled at complementary 45 degree angles to the longitudinal axis 13a of the strip 18 to be butted against the next adjoining trim strip for forming a trim assembly. Projecting from each beveled end 16 is a tab 20 extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis 13a of the section 13 of each trim strip which interfits into a groove 21 in each end 17 to interlock the strips 18 together for alining and holding the corner joint formed.

The tab 20 is formed with straight sides 22 and 23 (FIGS. 4 and 6) each lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 13a of the trim strip. As is evident from the drawings the tab is formed with a lateral width somewhat greater than its front to back depth to mitigate against bending about its longitudinal axis, i.e., the axis A of the strip. Extending longitudinally of the section 13 of each strip is a channel or groove 24 opening to the flat side 15 and the beveled end 17' of the strip, and sized complementary to the tab 20 to receive it with a snug fit. Since the beveled end 16 of the arcuate section 14 is formed at a 45 degree angle to the longitudinal axis 13a of the trip strip 18, the elongated section 13 can be cut to length along a line at 45 degrees to the trim axis 13a, as along the dash-dot line 25 in FIG. 4, to form one side of a trim assembly of proper length to fit the panel to which it is to be attached.

After the trim strips have been cut to size, there usually being four in all with two of each length to form a rectangular trim assembly as shown in FIG. 5, the strips are fitted together with each end 17 abutting the adjacent strip end 16. The tab 20 is inserted into the groove 24 of the adjoining strip as they are attached to the panel to both aline the abutting ends 16 and 17 and interlock the adjoining trim strips together. Because of the lateral strength of the tab and its fit within the groove of the strip, when the strip ends are joined, there is little danger that the position of the strip ends will be displaced relative to one another during subsequent handling of the assembled pieces. Thus the possibility of causing unsightly corner cracks at the mitered joints is virtually precluded. The strips can also be joined to form the completed assembly prior to attachment to the panel. After the individual trim strips are joined and the trim assembly is attached to the panel, the tabs are hidden from view and the joint between individual trim strips appears to be a normal butt joint. Of course, other shaped substantially parallel directions, each of said strips including a straight section extending from the first end thereof and being of the same width along a predetermined length forming the longitudinal axis of the strip, said strip first and second ends being beveled at complementary angles to the strip longitudinal axis for forming a right angle corner when the strips are joined first end abutting a second end of an adjoining strip, each said strip having a corresponding side adapted to abut the panel for attachment thereto with a uniform undercut cross-sectioned groove in said one side running longitudinally along the strip straight section and opening into said beveled first end, a tab extending from said beveled second end at right angles to the strip longitudinal axis and positioned to interfit within a groove to form a fiat, continuous surface with the back of the strips; when the strips are join ed, first end abntting a second end of the adjoi ning strip, and said tab having a cross-section complementary to the cross-section of the groove and a lateral width substantially greater than its front to back depth and fi t therein with a snug but removable fit whereby said strips can be cut to length by severing the straightlportion at any point at an angle complementary to the angle of the second end and thereafter be interlocked together to form a trim assembly by inserting said tabs'in said grooves as the strips are joined with the first and second ends abutting to" hold said strips together while the strips are attached to a panel. v

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Breckheimer 287189.36 X

Webster 2 87-189.36

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner. 10 W. L. SHEDD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TRIM ASSEMBLY FOR ATTACHMENT TO PANELS, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF TRIM STRIPS ADAPTED TO BE JOINED TOGETHER TO FORM THE TRIM ASSEMBLY AND HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENDS OF THE SAME WIDTH AND EXTENDING IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL DIRECTIONS, EACH OF SAID STRIPS INCLUDING A STRAIGHT SECTION EXTENDING FROM THE FIRST END THEREOF AND BEING OF THE SAME WIDTH ALONG A PREDETERMINED LENGTH FORMING THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE STRIP, SAID STRIP FIRST AND SECOND ENDS BEING BEVELED AT COMPLEMENTARY ANGLES TO THE STRIP LONGITUDINAL AXIS FOR FORMING A RIGHT ANGLE CORNER WHEN THE STRIPS ARE JOINED FIRST END ABUTTING A SECOND END OF AN ADJOINING STRIP, EACH SAID STRIP HAVING A CORREPONDING SIDE ADAPTED TO ABUT THE PANEL FOR ATTACHMENT THERETO WITH A UNIFORM UNDERCUT CROSS-SECTIONED GROOVE IN SAID ONE SIDE RUNNING LONGITUDINALLY ALONG THE STRIP STRAIGHT SECTION AND OPENING INTO SAID BEVELED FIRST END, A TAB EXTENDING FROM SAID BEVELED SECOND END AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE STRIP LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND POSITIONED TO INTERFIT WITHIN A GROOVE TO FORM A FLAT, CONTINUOUS SURFACE WITH THE BACK OF THE STRIPS; WHEN THE STRIPS ARE JOINED, FIRST END ABUTTING A SECOND END OF THE ADJOINING STRIP, AND SAID TAB HAVING A CROSS-SECTION COMPLEMENTARY TO THE CROSS SECTION OF THE GROOVE AND A LATERAL WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN ITS FRONT TO BACK DEPTH AND FIT THEREIN WITH A SNUG BUT REMOVABLE FIT WHEREBY SAID STRIPS CAN BE CUT TO LENGTH BY SEVERING THE STRAIGHT PORTION AT ANY POINT AT AN ANGLE COMPLEMENTARY TO THE ANGLE OF THE SECOND END AND THEREAFTER BE INTERLOCKED TOGETHER TO FORM A TRIM ASSEMBLY BY INSERTING SAID TABS IN SAID GROOVES AS THE STRIPS ARE JOINED WITH THE FIRST AND SECOND ENDS ABUTTING TO HOLD SAID STRIPS TOGETHER WHILE THE STRIPS ARE ATTACHED TO A PANEL. 